


Death From A Flower

by NKXanP



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Hanahaki Disease, M/M, No Beta, We Die Like Men, background Tails/Cream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:55:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24050941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NKXanP/pseuds/NKXanP
Summary: Sonic comes across Shadow, only to find his rival coughing up... flower petals? Tails tells him Shadow has Hanahaki Disease, and that it's a really bad case.He'd do anything to save Shadow...If only Shadow would tell him who his unrequited love was for...
Relationships: Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 3
Kudos: 94





	Death From A Flower

**Author's Note:**

> This story wouldn't leave my head, so I decided to finally put this account to use and post the story.

Sonic was running through the woods, as he usually did, when he noticed a hunched over black form that made him stop dead in his tracks. "Shads?" He stopped just in time to hear Shadow have a small coughing fit. When Sonic came over to see what was wrong, he was surprised to see... flower petals? "Is something wrong?"

Shadow looked over to see Sonic, and smirked. "You could say that, yeah." His smirk was cut short by him turning back to the bush and having another coughing fit.

Sonic blinked. "Here. Let's go see Tails and figure out what's wrong."

Surprisingly, Shadow didn't complain. They ran, side by side, to Tails' place, only stopping occasionally for Shadow to have another coughing fit.

* * *

"And when I walked over to his side, I saw flower petals! _**Flower** **petals!**_ What could possibly make him cough up flower petals?!"

Sonic was really concerned, and Shadow pulled the trash can closer to him to cough up more flower petals, as if to demonstrate for Tails.

The fox was lost in thought. There was only one disease that could possibly cause this... but it was supposed to be a myth! It happening once, to him, was one thing, but happening again? To one of his friends? Tails shook his head; he'd need more proof. "You seem awfully concerned-"

Luckily for Tails, he didn't need to prompt Sonic further. "Of course I'm worried, Tails! He's coughing up flower petals! Something has to be wrong with him!"

At this, Shadow coughed up more flower petals.

Sonic stopped to look at Shadow with more concern (prompting more flower petals to be coughed up) before returning his gaze to Tails. "See?! Something's wrong, and I don't know what it is."

Tails smirked. He knew very well what this was, since he had had a minor run-in with it before he confessed his feelings to Cream. "I think I know what it is."

Sonic's eyes flew open. "Well? What is it?" When Tails didn't immediately start explaining, Sonic took the opportunity to get up and shake him. "Tell me! What is it?!"

Shadow promptly coughed up even more flower petals, causing Sonic to stop shaking Tails and return to the black hedgehog's side (prompting even more petals to be coughed up).

Tails smiled. "It's called Hanahaki disease."

Sonic looked at Tails quizzically. "Hana-what now?"

Tails turned to a bookshelf behind him, picking a book carefully and opening it to the H section, quickly finding the definition he was looking for. "Hanahaki disease. _If somebody is suffering from one-sided or unrequited love, they cough up flower petals._ " He suddenly looked at Shadow grimly. " _If it continues for too long, the afflicted will die._ "

Sonic was even more concerned for Shadow now. "They'll die?!" Shadow, for his part, simply coughed up more flower petals.

Tails suddenly looked extra concerned, rushing over to the trash can. Sure enough, the flower petals were big. "Yes, and, judging by the size of the petals, Shadow doesn't have much time. Luckily, there is a way to cure it."

Sonic quickly asked the follow-up question Tails was probably waiting for. "There is?"

Tails smiled wistfully, returning his gaze to the book. "There is." He finally found the section in the book. " _If the one the afflicted loves returns those feelings genuinely, the afflicted will be cured._ "

Sonic hopped up quickly. "So then we need to figure out who it is and get them to love him back!" Shadow coughed up more flower petals, causing Sonic to turn his attention to Shadow. "So, Shads, who's the lucky lady? Or guy. I won't assume."

Shadow simply blushed, turning away and coughing even more flower petals into the trash can.

Sonic looked to Tails. "How much longer do you think he has?"

Tails went over to the trash can and pulled out the least mucus-y flower petal, shaking it off and putting a ruler to it. Comparing the measurement to a chart in the book, Tails shook his head. "A few days. A week, at most. Then, the flower petals will be too big for him to cough out, and he'll drown in them."

"That's horrible!" Sonic immediately rushed back over to Shadow's side. "C'mon, Shads, tell me who it is! I promise I won't tease you for it."

At this, Shadow simply coughed up more flower petals. He wanted nothing more than to tell Sonic, but how would Sonic handle knowing that his rival had a crush on him?

Luckily for Shadow, his coughing up flower petals gave him an excuse to not talk. Tails seemed to take the hint, as he put the book down. "Sonic, give him a second. He'll need to stop coughing up flower petals before he can talk, let alone before he can say anything about his love."

Shadow silently thanked the fox as he continued to cough up flower petals.

* * *

**A week later...**

Sonic sighed. The whole past week had been spent trying to get Shadow to open up, but Sonic had failed. Nothing he could do would get Shadow to admit who he was crushing on, and any attempt to was met by Shadow coughing up a bunch of flower petals.

Tails knew who it was (he happened to skip over the part about the effects intensifying when your crush showed you affection when reading the passage to Sonic, not to mention Shadow had privately confided in him), but he didn't say anything out of respect for Shadow's privacy. That being said, he had told Shadow to try his hardest to tell Sonic in some way. But that, too, had failed.

Now, Shadow lied on the couch, his head turned to the side so he could cough the last few petals out of his mouth. He was in a sorry state, needless to say.

Sonic stood over him, almost... crying? "Shadow, please, who is it? Maybe we can save you."

Shadow physically couldn't talk anymore, and he was too weak to sign to Sonic. He wanted nothing more than to point to himself, point to Sonic, and then make a heart symbol with his hands (the universal sign language for "I love you"), but he could barely muster the strength to point at himself, let alone raise his hand to point to Sonic.

Tails just looked at Sonic grimly. "I'm afraid it's too late. Say your goodbyes, he'll be dead soon." The fox wasn't too happy about this turn of events, as was evidenced by his flat, sad tone.

Shadow's eyes glazed over, and Sonic couldn't take it anymore. He held Shadow in a close embrace. "No! Shadow! Don't go!" He held Shadow even closer. "Please... I didn't know, but after this week, I realized something... _I love you._ "

At first, nothing seemed to happen. Sonic held Shadow's body close, sad to not hear a heartbeat. He continued crying, holding Shadow closely as Tails looked on in horror. _If only Sonic had said that 5 minutes ago, he might have saved Shadow..._

Sonic eventually decided to set down the body, since there was no sense in continuing to hold the body when he couldn't even hear Shadow's heartbeat...

Wait. What was that?

He held Shadow's torso up to his ear. _Lub-dub, lub-dub._ It was faint, but a heartbeat nonetheless. Shadow was alive! "You're alive..."

Tails was shocked. "He's alive?!"

Sonic looked up at Tails cheerfully. "He's alive!"

* * *

**The next day...**

Shadow woke up in what seemed to be a makeshift hospital bed. He groaned, holding the side of his head, and rolling over.

Sonic was sitting in the chair in the corner. Oh, if only Shadow had told the blue speedster he was in love with him...

Wait. Sonic was here.

Sonic was here! Shadow wasn't dead!

Sonic woke up, seemingly shaking the grogginess from his head, when he saw crimson eyes staring back at him. "You're okay!" He ran over to Shadow and hugged him.

Wait. Shadow wasn't coughing up flower petals anymore. That must mean...

"I love you, Shads."

Holy chaos. He wasn't expecting to hear those words from Sonic. Not that they hurt. "I love you too, faker."

Meanwhile, Tails watched from afar.

Another case, cured.


End file.
